Seed #4: Digital Storytelling and Multimodal Composition

Filmmaking and Digital Composition: The Tomatoes in My Garden

Tomatoes are considered a relatively easy plant for beginners to grow, although they require a lot of effort and care to thrive. These plants require 6-8 hours of steady sunlight, regular watering, well-draining soil, and cages or rods to support their growth. In my garden, poetry and traditional storytelling are my daffodils; who return year after year, spring up in great number, and survive no matter the level of care. Filmmaking and digital composition, however, are my tomatoes.

    Before I decided to pursue a career in education, I was a film major here at UWM. While I would still consider myself a novice in filmmaking, I did learn a lot about how the writing process changes when producing stories for the screen. While all the elements of story, themes, and language remained vital components of the creation process, that aspect of the filmmaking process was only the tip of the iceberg. Digital storytelling through filmmaking forced me to consider image, sound, and composition in a way that I don't always consider when writing on a page. Creating shot lists and considering pacing, lighting, mood, sound, and angles added a new level of complexity to the writing process that I found (and still find) to be both daunting and exciting. Digital storytelling forces the creator to consider the method of delivery in a deeper way than traditional storytelling might encourage.

    I'll allow myself some vulnerability by linking the first short film I ever made in the film program. I was brand new the filming process, equipment, and editing technology so there is a lot in this film that I look back and cringe at or find unsuccessful. However, I can see the beginnings of my engaging with light, visual texture, sound, and story in the context of filmmaking. It was a struggle to take a poem I wrote that was deeply personal to me and find a way to translate that vulnerability to a visual medium. Playing with the sounds and textures of my memory box that I have been collecting since I was an adolescent and delivering the poem through the voices of my family felt appropriate for the subject matter. There are many failures and successes walking hand and hand in this film, and it is exciting to look back at it now and recognize the technical aspects of filmmaking that I might do differently.

the god who made me, Ivy Moore, 2024

   As a new filmmaker, I am constantly learning and adapting to new technologies; I test my endurance and my ability to set aside my pride to learn skills that are completely foreign to me. Like growing tomatoes, I require strong supports and scaffolding to figure out how to achieve my desired harvest. Growth is not comfortable and it is not always natural, but it is a necessary process that- when properly supported and regularly watered- yields worthwhile produce.

Zines and Digital Poetry: Plans for Future Planting

I have been fascinated by zines and digital poetry for a long time, but have yet to dive into the medium as a creator. I feel excited by these new mediums for poetry and storytelling as both a writer and an educator. Combining elements of sound or image with short stories or poetry effectively is a tall order, but invites new avenues of expression and creativity that invite mess, curiosity, and fun. For many students, I believe that those aspects of writing may be missing from their learning, especially in creative writing. Allowing multimodal composition into the creative writing classroom in these forms invites students to "mess around" and try new things without the pressure of producing "good writing." As a M3 Writing Coach I worked with a creative writing class that combined some kind of self-reflection and art into each lesson. I found that many students found it daunting to begin writing, but beginning assignments with creating visuals before writings helped them dip their toes into the water before diving in. It's important to understand that for many students jumping straight into creative writing is like asking them to do the polar plunge. We must allow space and multiple avenues of creative exploration so students can check the temperature of the water, adjust, and wade in on their own terms.

Multimodal composition like zines and digital poetry are two strong options that can be easily adapted into creative writing classes. It is possible that for some students, options to create visuals with their writing may only complicate their process and further alienate them from writing as a whole. Multimodal composition is a tricky line to walk as educators, and we must know when and where to introduce these methods of creation. We must frame these genres with purpose while still allowing our students creative freedom. "Digital storytelling provides students with multiple tools that they can use to mediate their thinking about concepts that are central to and extend beyond the curriculum" (Chisholm & Trent, pg 308) I think introducing zines or digital poetry as personal narrative projects or to promote student advocacy will help students connect, reflect, and engage with multimodal composition on a more personal level. Outside of the creative writing classroom, zines and digital poetry can also be options for students to demonstrate understanding outside of academic writing. In order to promote student agency we must allow our students to engage with their learning in several ways. While teaching academic writing is important, an essay will not always be the only or the best way for students to show comprehension.